A terrifying video captured the moment when two helicopters collided while attempting to land near Mount Everest.
The accident happened at a helipad in Nepal's Solukhumbu district, a region frequented by trekkers and climbers heading toward Everest Base Camp.
As the video spread online, it raised questions about helicopter safety in one of the world's most challenging aviation environments, with viewers struggling to believe what they were seeing.
Highlights
- Two commercial helicopters collided while attempting to land at a popular stop along the Everest Base Camp trekking route.
- The terrifying footage has raised concerns about aviation safety in one of the world's most challenging flying environments.
- The crash has renewed attention on previous helicopter accidents in Nepal's Everest region, including a similar incident last year.
Two small commercial helicopters collided at Pheriche helipad, a popular stop along the Everest Base Camp trekking route
The accident reportedly took place at approximately 8:11 a.m. local time on Tuesday, November 3, at the Pheriche helipad in Nepal's Solukhumbu district.
The remote village sits at an altitude of around 4,200 meters (13,780 feet) and is an important stop along the standard Everest Base Camp trekking route.
Although Pheriche is not Everest Base Camp itself, it plays a significant role in the region's trekking and climbing activities.
Many hikers stop there to acclimatize to the thin mountain air before continuing toward higher elevations.
The village is also home to a medical facility run by the Himalayan Rescue Association, which treats trekkers experiencing altitude-related emergencies.
Helicopters are frequently used in the area to transport supplies, move trekkers, and carry out medical evacuations.
Some visitors also use helicopter services to shorten their return journey after trekking toward Everest Base Camp.
At high altitudes, thinner air reduces lift from rotor blades and affects engine performance, leaving pilots with narrower margins for maneuvering.
A viral video showed the two helicopters coming dangerously close to each other just moments before attempting to land
The surrounding mountainous terrain can add further complications, particularly during takeoffs and landings.
According to Nepal's Civil Aviation Authority (CAAN), the collision happened when the rotor blades of two helicopters struck each other as the aircraft approached the Pheriche helipad at nearly the same time.
Two private domestic carriers, Fishtail Air and Air Dynasty, operated the helicopters.
The Fishtail Air aircraft, registered as 9N-AJR, was carrying passengers, while the Air Dynasty helicopter, registered as 9N-AOD, was operating a cargo flight with approximately 300 kilograms of supplies and no passengers on board.
The incident was captured by a local webcam and CCTV cameras at the helipad, while tourists in the area also filmed the aftermath.
The widely circulated footage shows the helicopters descending toward the snow-covered landing area before their rotor blades make contact.
Both aircraft then lose stability and crash onto the ground.
People nearby can be seen running away from the wreckage before some return to help the crash victims.
The crash left one passenger deceased, who has been identified by the District Police Office of Solukhumbu as 47-year-old Vasanth Kumar Balaramaramadu, an Indian national from Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Another passenger, 49-year-old Shailesh Krishna Patel, a New Zealand citizen of Indian origin, sustained serious injuries.
He was evacuated by helicopter and taken to Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu for treatment.
One 47-year-old Indian tourist lost his life in the crash, while three others, including both pilots, were injured
Both pilots also survived the collision but were injured.
Captain Rabindra Prajapati, who was flying the Fishtail Air helicopter, sustained more serious injuries and was evacuated to Nepal Mediciti Hospital in Kathmandu.
Captain Prajwal KC, the Air Dynasty pilot, reportedly suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital in Lukla.
Police Inspector Mausam Tamang and Solukhumbu District Police Chief DSP Nabin Raja Budhathoki provided details following the initial rescue operation.
Both aviation companies also confirmed information about their aircraft and passengers.
Neither company assigned blame or speculated about the cause of the collision, saying they were cooperating with the authorities' investigation.
CAAN has launched a formal probe, with technical teams examining the wreckage and reviewing surveillance footage to establish how the aircraft came into contact.
Investigators are also looking into whether a communication breakdown between the pilots or ground personnel contributed to the accident.
The area around Pheriche falls outside the coverage zone of the Lukla Airport air traffic control tower, according to CAAN Director General Mukesh Dangol.
As a result, pilots operating there rely on Visual Flight Rules and direct radio coordination with one another when approaching landing areas.
Initial reports also suggest that both helicopters may have been trying to use the same landing spot.
The latest collision follows a series of helicopter and aircraft accidents in Nepal's Everest region
Authorities are examining whether the snow-covered helipad affected the pilots' choice of landing area, or whether a mechanical issue or another operational factor played a role.
The latest accident has once again drawn attention to the risks of aviation in Nepal's mountainous regions, where helicopters play an important role in tourism, rescue operations, and supply transport.
A similar incident occurred near Lobuche in October 2025.
The trekking settlement is near Pheriche, farther along the route toward Everest Base Camp.
An Altitude Air rescue helicopter crashed while attempting to land amid heavy snowfall and poor visibility.
The aircraft reportedly skidded during the landing, but the pilot survived with minor injuries.
Another fatal accident occurred in July 2023, when a Manang Air helicopter crashed shortly after taking off from Surke, near Lukla, while heading toward Kathmandu.
All six people on board, including the pilot and five members of a Mexican family, lost their lives.
Beyond these incidents, Nepal's aviation sector has faced longstanding scrutiny over safety standards.
The European Union has reportedly maintained a ban on Nepali airlines operating within its airspace because of continuing safety concerns.
With the investigation into the Pheriche collision underway, authorities will now have to determine why the two helicopters approached the same landing area and whether coordination procedures need to change to prevent similar accidents in the future.
“Looks like they were racing for that landing spot…” one social media user wrote
